Pouhu and the Raid on Vulcanus (A Bionicle Story)
by LitelySaltedToa
Summary: Pouhu and The Raid on Vulcanus is a story detailing and chronicling the life of a young Agori, Pouhu, who fought in the Raid on Vulcanus. The Raid on Vulcanus is a major battle between the Bone Hunters and the Fire Tribe that took place on Bara Magna. The battle took the lives of 126 innocent Agori.


Pouhu was rather young and quite unique; he stood out, and in an unusual way most couldn't describe or comprehend. Perhaps it's his tenderness or perhaps it's simply his friendly demeanor. But nonetheless, people tend to question what is going on inside of his head.

He was known to fool around Vulcanus' most renowned marketplace, Traders Coster Market. And knowing not only the arts of blacksmithing, but that all Agori really needed to know how to protect themselves from harm, Pouhu decided it was best to craft and sell weaponry. His smith-shop usually sold out within several hours after setting up, as such, he decided it was best to have an assistant who could help him produce weaponry. As such, he swiftly hired his long-time friend, [[Tahara]] , to assist him during work-times (Which were usually every other week or so).

Pouhu: "Tomorrow is going to be our 20th workday, Tahara! Can't you believe it?"

Tahara: "What are we going to do, have a party?"

Pouhu: "Heck yeah we are."

Tahara: "I was being sarcastic.. but th-that's cool."

Tahara began drinking the sandy and unkempt water he had bought in a trade the days before. On most occasions in which you are trading with a dismembered Vorox tail, you might be in dire need of some water, whether it be hot and sandy, water is still very valuable. The trade caused the whole market itself to halt and ponder in shock upon the sight of a young Agori carrying a vicious Vorox's tail. Little did all but the corresponding trader, Tahara, and Pouhu know that the tail was aqcuired from the aftermath of a small Vorox to Vorox skirmish in which Tahara had zero involvement in.

Pouhu: "I hate to laugh every time I see you drinking from that canteine of water."

Tahara: "Well, you gotta do what you gotta do to get yourself some water. Even if that means forcing the biggest market for a hundred miles to crash by holding a tail in your hand."

Pouhu: "It sounds worse when you say it."

The pair laughed.

Pouhu: "Was it worth it?'

Tahara: "Nope, it's hardly perishable."

Pouhu: "Nothing's 'hardly perishable' in this ravaged world. That's why there's this thing called positivity."

Tahara: "Yet you complain about the planet's condition."

Pouhu: "Oh, shut up."

Tahara giggled

Pouhu: "Anyways, I have to leave."

Tahara: "Why is that?"

Pouhu: "[[Sovuk]] is coming back from Iconox, and I wanted to make sure she has a warm welcome."

Tahara: "It's already warm enough, Pouhu."

Tahara: "Yeah, yeah, bye."

Pouhu quickly exited Tahara's house. He turned towards the entrance of Vulcanus, a small fort, and checked for sand and spots on his armor as he walked.

Sovuk was an alluring and beautiful young Agori (Which is something you won't usually see in a barren wasteland), who loved to explore and adventure. She was known to be open to try knew things, wether it be: Food, techniques, and hobbies.

Pouhu: "I don't need to look dirtier than I already am, espescially in front of Sovuk."

Pouhu detoured around a small tavern and stopped to an unknown commotion from across the street.

Unknown Agori #1: "This can't be true!"

Unknown Agori #2: "It is."

Unknown Agori #1: "How do you know about this?"

Unknown Agori #2: "I was eating in that tavern right there, then that old Glatorian- what was his name? Gelu, I think, barges through the doors and rambles on and on to Raanu about Skrall battle plans directed towards us!"

Unknown Agori #1: "How do I know you aren't trying to fool me?"

Unknown Agori #2: "Ask anyone in that tavern, and they will say the same thing, just do it."

Pouhu's heart stopped as Raanu and Gelu ran out of the tavern in a panic, carrying a map of Vulcanus covered in red text... something was wrong.

===Chapter 2===

Sovuk finally stepped foot inside of Vulcanus for the first time in over a year and was eager to meet her best friend, Pouhu. But she began feeling worried as minute by minute flew by without Pouhu as she stood at their meeting place. Finally, he arrived, and in a panic.

Sovuk: "Hey Pouhu, why do you seem panicked?"

Pouhu: "Oh, it's nothing, I was just in a rush to see you and I ran out of breath along the way."

Being a prodigy in the arts of "knowing-the-difference-between-a-lie-and-the-truth", Sovuk knew that something was truely very wrong, even though Pouhu denied it. This not only made Sovuk uncomfortable, but it also scared her, howbeit, in an attempt to advance the upbeat and blissful vibe between the two, Sovuk decided to forget about the disturbing juncture.

Sovuk: "Of course you're in a rush to see me, I'm awesome."

Pouhu: "Not really."

Pouhu cracked a sarcastic smile towards Sovuk, to which she responded with a whimsical giggle.

Sovuk: "Quick question before we start having fun, did you ever get my letter about my discovery three weeks ago?"

Pouhu: "I don't recall."

Sovuk: "Ahhh... that explains why Kardak never returned after his pilgrimage to Vulcanus. They never found his remains."

Pouhu: "That's a tad unsettling, but what was your little discovery?"

Sovuk: "Little!? You must be bluffing, this discovery is absolutely outstanding!"

Pouhu: "What is it then?"

Sovuk: "Okay, so I was out on a hike outside of Iconox, then I catch I glimpse of something petruding out of the snow. I pick it up, and this is what I find-."

Sovuk held her small brown satchel and opened it, revealing a light-brown tablet with carvings. She firmly grasped the tablet, and passed it to Pouhu. Pouhu observed the carvings in awe.

Pouhu: "What is this?"

Sovuk: "I think it's an ancient manuscript from creatures who used to live here, before us. This can turn into something extremely revoloutinary!"

Pouhu: "Do you think this could also be related to the Great Beings, somehow?"

Sovuk: "I doubt it, but it looks sick!"

Pouhu handed the tablet over to Sovuk, who set it into her satchel. Pouhu began speaking before he noticed Sovuk's stricken expression as she gazed upon the site of the Glatorian conversing.

Gresh: "Do you think it's smart to leave the village undefend?"

: Akar: "One or two Glatorian won't stop the Bone Hunters."

Gresh glanced out the doorway to the charred and blackened main street of the village, where Sovuk stood, listening in fear.

Gresh: "By now, Fero has let his people know he lost the map."

Akar: "Right, which means they know we'll be preparing for them. They are going to move fast. So we have to move faster. I don't like leaving the village undefended, but we need to find allies. We'll have to gamble that we make it before the Bone Hunters arrive."

Sovuk looked back towards Pouhu

Sovuk: "Is something happening, Pouhu?'

Pouhu: "I was going to tell you tommorow..."

===Chapter 3===

Pouhu, along with five other friends, sat at a large stone-carved table. They conversed and bickered about the terrifying news of a possible Bone Hunter onslaught in the village for hours upon end. Pouhu noticed that Sovuk was visibly shaken by the ordeal. All she wanted to do was visit Pouhu and spend time with him, maybe even making new friends. Not to wind up as a Bone-Hunter torn corpse.

Cyan: "Okay guys, we really need to stop talking about this."

Pouhu: "Why? We need to do something about this!"

Cyan: "Raanu is our leader, he will do something about this! We will sit here and wait 'till we hear from him."

Tahara: "Raanu is a senile hunk of Zesk feces. He can't do anything except for tell us we're going to be 'fine' or 'okay' when we clearly aren't 'fine' or 'okay'."

Nahau: "Guys!"

Nahau's young, yet booming shout rung throught Tahara's house.

Nahau: "We mustn't bicker about our dire situation. We need clear heads. And when people argue, they throw rhetorical fallacies at their 'oppenen't, which is something someone without a clear head does."

Ranox: "What does that even mean?"

Nahau: "It means shut up, Ranox."

Tahara: "Well he's not wrong."

Nahau: "Anyways, what I'm trying to convey is that I think we should discuss this matter with someone of higher authority-."

Cyan: "That's pretty much what I said!"

Nahau: "Except for Raanu."

Ranox: "If you exclude Raanu from the list of people who have higher authority over someone, then your basically leaving everyone except for our mom on the list."

Nahau: "No, we can discuss this matter with the Glatorian."

Ranox: "But all Glatorians do is punch other Glatorians in their faces in return for outrageously vile food that will biodegrate within a week."

Nahau: "But if they all rally up at Vulcanus and work as a team, they can definetly take out a few dozen Bone Hunters."

Ranox: "And if more than 'a few dozen' Bone Hunters show up?"

There was an awkward and long pause within the group as Nahau thought of a reply.

Nahau: "When, or if I get a chance to discuss the matters with a Glatorian or two, maybe I might be able to answer your question."

Tahara: "So we're going to just sit around here for a few days while you do work."

Nahau: "No, I probably would need another person to accompany me."

Tahara: "That isn't helping the other four peope not doing anything."

Nahau ignored Tahara

Nahau: "Pouhu, you're the leader of the group. Maybe you should come with me."

Pouhu: "If you see fit, Nahau.

===Chapter 4===

Pouhu began carving a Vorox tail, and not for his buisness, though. He was carving for the Agori trainees. In the last few days, Nahau and Pouhu spoke to Ackar, who told him that "Everything should be under control," and that they were considering a strategy allowing the Agori to partake in the battle. This, of course, happened.

Since that day, Pouhu has been carving and repairing weaponry and armory nonstop. This took a major toll on his brain, giving him mood swings. He was angered easily, and growled constanty, which was quite obvious to the Agori who only knew him from extremely chipper posture.

As Pouhu slowly dragged towards the Thornax launcher training compound, he saw Nahau excersising his terrible ability to fight, along with a rather irate Kiina.

Kiina: "Squeeze, don't pull. Squeeze."

In Nahau's hands was a Thornax launcher, the same kind used by the Glatorian. As actual Thornax were needed for the coming battle, the launcher was loaded with rocks/

The target for the "budding' marksman was a small pile of rocks atop a nearby peak. So far, Nahau had a hardtime just hitting the mountain. This time though, he was sure he would do it. He yanked back on the trigger, the weapon jerked up in the air, and the rock went flying... straight up. Kiina pulled him out of the way before his shot could come back down and smack him on the head. At this point, Kiina snapped.

Kiina: "I said squeeze! You're not ripping a fireroot out of the ground. When the Bone

Hunters are coming through, every shot is going to count!"

Nahau: "I know, I'm sorry. I just... I don't know how to fight."

Kiina's tone softened.

Kiina: "I know. Must be nice."

She reached down and gently took the launcher from Nahau.

Kiina: "Can you use a knife? Go talk to Gresh. He's going to need people ot cut the vines at the right moment."

Nahau smiled, scrambled in his feet, and hurried off. Pouhu and Kiina watched him go. ''"The Agori as a whole had a lot of enthusiasm for this fight. Had it really been so long that they no longer remembered what war was like?" Thought Kinna. ''She wondered how many sunrises some Vulcanus villagers had left to see.

Forcing the thought from her mind, she handed the launcher off to the next Agori in line, Pouhu.

Kiina: "Now, ''squeeze'' the control. Understand?"

Pouhu: "Yes ma'am."

Pouhu firmly grasped and squeezed the trigger, launching the rock up into the air. The rock skimmed past its target and landed near the peak of the mountain, just 30 feet away. Kiina complemented Pouhu, then aided him by adjusting the launcher.

Pouhu fired once again and successfully took down most of the rocks on the mountain. He smiled for the first time in nearly a week.

===Chapter 5===

Outside, sharp-eyed villagers kept watch on the Iron Canyons. Pouhu was responsible for

dousing the western fires so the light would not outline the Agori and give their position away. No one spoke or made a noise of any kind. Every sentry clutched his weapon and waited for the sound of rock steeds galloping across the sand.

Raxus and Tahara returned from their shifts in a hurry. Pouhu watched anxiously as they swiftly opened the door in a hurried manner.

Pouhu: "Are they here? The Bone Hunters!?"

Tahara: "No, we were just racing each other."

The pair gasped for air while laughing. Exhausted and weak, they sat down and drank some water which was rather coarse. Nonetheless, they drank away.

Pouhu: "Don't do that again, you had us scared."

Sovuk: "Tomorrow, you think?"

Pouhu: 'I hope not. And I can't apologize enough for inviting you at our time of peril. I honestly had no idea that the Bone Hunters were coming here until the day you came."

Sovuk: "It's okay. And if we do indeed perish, I would be glad to do it with you all."

The group also feared for Nahau. The youngster was on the front lines, ahead of the entrance to the village. He was located on a jagged and rocky peak, operating a device used in Iconox used for years to stop marauding mountain worms.

Even if the device function befittingly, Nahau would only have injured three or four Bone Hunters and would be slain as soon as they could see him dash up the fort. Still, they had hope for his survival.

It was a quiet night. Agori talked to themselves in hushed tones. There was something about the dark that made everyone fell they had to be quiet. It was almost instinctive, as if making to much noise might attract monsters that waited amongst the darkness.

If you asked the Vulcanus Agori Kyry, he would have told you he didn't believe in fear. He also didn't believe that dousing three torches at once meant a Vorox attack, or that steeping on a beetle mound meant bad luck. That sort of superstition was fine for some villagers, but not for him. Those fears did nothing but hold Agori back, making them to afraid to venture beyond the bounds of their villages. Such as ones like Sovuk, who couldn't even think of a life without adventure, or one full of boundries. That was not the life for them. Kyry had done a little exploring of this world, and planned to do more.

Right now, though, his job was to keep watch of the Sea of Liquid to the southwest. That was like watching metal rust. While there were a few safe paths through the area, most of it was quicksand that could swallow rock steeds in a matter of moments. Even the Vorox avoided that area

A sound came from out in the night, so soft that he first thought he was just imagining it. It was the clink of metal on metal. Kyry froze, listening hard. Maybe it had just been the echo of a noise from inside the village.

He didn't hear anything now, only the wind swirling through the sand. Or was it wind? It sounded like a hiss Could it be some desert snake venturing close to the village, drawn by the heat of the torches? No, it was too low for that.

Now there was another sound, louder than the first two. This one made Kyry stand up and immediately douse the torch.

It was the sound of a Thornax Launcher being loaded!

''Bone Hunters!'' The words exploded in his mind. He turned to shout a warning too the village.

A strong hand clamped itself over his mouth. Kyry was yanked off his feet and hauled to the back of a rock steed. A single blow knocked him unconscious.

===Chapter 6===

Pouhu woke up to the sound of screams and cries. He knew what was happening, and the thought of it almost made him gag.

He dashed towards the source of the commotion, and was met with the sight of two Bone Hunters vaulting over the jagged rock fort. Pouhu, and 7 other armed Agori cornered them, loading their Thornax Launcher's. In an attempt to successfully subdue the Bone Hunters, they fired. The Bone Hunters were dead.

The group began cheering, becoming plaudits despite the dire circumstance. The group moved towards the entrance of Vulcanus, where they were, yet again met with a Bone Hunter. This one was swift, taking out Agori in the blink of an eye. Pouhu ran to cover, listening in terror as his allies were torn apart.

After the 20 second bloodbath, Pouhu peered over the scorched rock he lay behind. He watched as an injured Agori cried for help.

Unknown Agori #1: "Please... someone.. help me..."

Pouhu gradually stood up, and began walking towards the Agori in a slow and precise manner, trying not to catch attention of the Bone Hunters. Before he could span the boulder, another unruly Bone Hunter walked into sight.

Unknown Agori #1: "Help me... anyone..."

The Bone Hunter looked down upon the Agori in pity. He loaded his Launcher. He spoke tauntingly.

Bone Hunter #1: "Don't worry buddy, I'll help you."

The Bone Hunter fired, provoking the poor Agori's head to explode into hundred of pieces. Pouhu immediately turned around and zoomed away. As he ran, Pouhu counted the endless number of bodies that lay on the streets. '

Pouhu ran inside Tahara's house, and began hiding behind a stone chair. Immediately after, Tahara walked down the stairs in a panic, Thornax launcher on Pouhu.

Pouhu: "Whoa, whoa, whoa! It's just me, Tahara."

Tahara: "Oh my goodness, you're alive!"

Pouhu: "Yeah, but there's like 10 dead people outside your door."

Tahara lay down his launcher, and crouched behind a broken windowsill.

Tahara: "I know, they where part of my platoon."

Pouhu: "All of them died!?"

Tahara: "I think so, we got separated after 4 Bone Hunters started shooting at us. One of 'em took us down my street, and started blind firing. It didn't tale long 'till smart old me decided to play dead. The launcher is not mine."

Pouhu: "Who's launcher is it?"

Tahara: "Tanua's. I took it from his body."

Pouhu: "That explains why you're not holding your axe, and why I saw him outside... dead."

Just then, a large, black hand protruded from the window above Tahara, and violently grasped his shoulders.

===Chapter 7===

Nahau had no words for the battle. It all felt so surreal; everything went by so quick, yet it felt like it was lasting forever. Each second turned to minutes, minutes to hours.

Nahau took advantage of the Bone Hunters reload, and threw as much spears as possible while they did so. His partner, Makao, retrieved a Thornax launcher from a dead Skrall during the first attack the day prior, and used it throughout the battle. The clever Agori would take pebbles and shards, then deposit the material into a sack, which would be fired through a Thornax Launcher. Mid-flight, the bag would snap, and send hundreds of lethal shards into the air.

The Agori handled quite well during the first two minutes of the assault. The Bone Hunters had lost two or three men to Nahau's trap, and another one to the spears. Unfortunately, a hunter had vaulted over a ledge and began firing. The Agori could only watch in horror as their allies were swiftly slain by enfilade. Only four were able to speedily escape with their lives: Nahau, Makao, Taron, and Ornahn.

To their right, a mighty Ackar struggled with the Bone Hunter leader, Fero. A stray Thronax fired from Fero's launcher, and struck Ornahn, hurling him into a small fort. The Agori went to aid him, but a Bone Hunter took advantage of the Agori's disadvantage, and permited his Rock Steed to charge at the Agori.

In haste, Nahau swiftly grasped his knife, and hurled it towards the hunter. The knife grazed the Bone Hunters shoulder, prompting him to stop. The Bone Hunter cursed at the Agori, firing at them along the way. Nahau's group hesitated, and began confronting the Bone Hunter in hand to hand combat.

Nahau swiftly lifted the Bone Hunters legs from his seat, while Taron and Makao tugged at his sides. Not long afterwards, the trio successfully unseated the criminal, and began beating him.

Fero began to speak to Ackar mid-battle.

Fero: "You've seen this before. Been part of it, too, during battles of long past. How many villages did you see destroyed? But I can afford to show mercy. I want all of Bara Magna to know what happened here. Ride out, Ackar, and tell the tale wherever you go."

Ackar looked around. Tell the tale? A tale of failure, of death, of a village lost, and all for the greater glory of a murdering band of Bone Hunters?

Ackar: "Never... the only story coming out of this night will be the one about your death."

Fero raised his sword

Fero: "Your allies are gone. Your Agori are fleeing or dead. It's over, Ackar. You're all alone."

Ackar watched as Nahau, Taron, and Makao ruthlessly beat Fero's soldier to death, and began saying something he knew would put Fero in his place, but the Bone Hunter raised his blade to make its fatal strike. The next instant, the sword exploded into thousands of shards of metal. Fero cried out and dropped the now useless weapon.

?: "Don't you know by now? Glatorian have to stand together."

Fero and Ackar both turned to the sound. It was Kiina, Thornax Launcher in hand, flanked by Gelu, Gresh, Vastus, and Tarix.

Kiina: "After all, if we don't, who else will?"

===Chapter 8===

Cyan made eye contact with the Bone Hunter... just two feet in front of her, Thornax Launcher locked and loaded. Cyan withdrawed as the Bone Hunter lunged in her face, attempting to appear fearsome and big, which worked.

She was filled with absolute terror, her life flashed before her eyes.

Cyan: "Please... no."

The bandit, slowly grasped his launcher and aimed way to Cyan's frail body. With his hands on the 'trigger', he began to discharge.

Before she knew it, the helpless Bone Hunter began coughing and regurgitating blood. He flattened to the ground, disgorging large amounts of the sticky substance on her face.

Above his corpse stood Sovuk and Ranox. Sovuk, obviously shaken by the minutes prior, was equipped with multiple throwing knives, common in her home town of Iconox. She was battered, but appeared to be in good shape. Ranox stood mighty above the dead Bone Hunter, despite that he well knew that he wasn't responsible for saving Cyan's life or killing the Bone Hunter.

Sovuk quickly extracted the knife lodged in the Bone Hunters back and looked at Cyan in condalence.

Sovuk: "What's wrong Cyan? Why are you crying."

Cyan: "My life... before my eyes... no words."

Ranox looked at Cyan as if she had gone mad.

Ranox: "Are you okay? Mentally?"

A cross Sovuk sharply elbowed Ranox in the thigh, causing him to yelp.

Cyan: "I was running, and I slammed into the Bone Hunter... he glared at me... and my life... I thought of Mako, Nahau, of Pouhu... of you guys."

Sovuk: "Emotional shock."

Ranox: "Emo's are what?"

Sovuk: "We need to get her inside, she won't survive out here, especially while she is in emotional shock."

Ranox: "Good, there's a house 15 feet from us."

Sovuk: "No, we aren't going into some random Agori's house, we need to get someone we know, like Pouhu or Taron."

Ranox: "Ugh... fine. Tahara's house is just a block or two from here. You get Cyan, while I keep guard and lead the way; the Bone Hunters penetrated the front gates and they'll be here soon."

Shortly after, the trio began their short, howbeit, terrifying pilgrimage to Tahara's house. They could only hope that Pouhu, Nahau, Tahara, and the others were still alive, as the casualties continued to increase.

Eventually, they made it to Tahara's jagged hut, only to be greeted with the horrid sight of a Bone Hunter choking and gagging a helpless Tahara. Pouhu, Sovuk, Cyan, and Ranox could only watch as their friend slowly succumbed to the hunters grasp...

===Chapter 9===

Pouhu watched in absolute terror as his best friend died slowly before him. He knew acting fast could result in his death as well. He began losing his balance, and fell to he his knees. Gradually, he fell to the floor, kicking a jagged stone chair as he did so.

Suddenly, a deafening crack rung amongst the damp and once quite air. Pouhu could hear gasping... Tahara's gasping! Pouhu hastily propped himself upon his elbows. He stood up to see Tahara out of the Bone Hunters solid grasp; barely breathing, but alive.

Pouhu scanned above Tahara's body to see a mighty Ranox, who was, indeed, responsible for saving Tahara's life. Ranox lay his Thornax Launcher and slowly jogged towards Tahara.

Pouhu caught sight of Sovuk, who immediately came and hugged him.

Pouhu: "Oh my goodness. Tahara, are you okay?"

Tahara struggled to speak. All that could protrude was a measly "No."

Sovuk took Tahara inside and began examining and nursing him. The Agori's rather unfortunate reminiscing was cut short as a large crowd of Agori began pouring in through the street. Mostly women and younger Agori comprised the front end of the phalanx, whilst mostly men covered the rear end, where as many as 10 Bone Hunters stood.

Only three or so Bone Hunters were either knocked of their Rock Steed or swiftly slain by the Agori until the Bone Hunters did the exact opposite of what the Agori hoped the hunters would do: They began discharging towards the front!

Pouhu and co. witnessed as innocent women and children were rapidly mowed down by gunfire. As many as 20 were gone in a matter of moments. Though Pouhu, Sovuk, and Tahara hid inside Tahara's house, Ranox and Cyan's whereabouts were unbeknownst to them.

And then it went silent...


End file.
